Abstract
In this chapter, ‘“Visionary” Works and Liber Novus’, I will contextualise both Nietzsche’s Zarathustra and Jung’s Liber Novus within Jung’s category of ‘visionary’ works, as presented in his definition from Psychology and Literature (1930). Starting with such a definition—which touches upon several authors and works—I will narrow the field, to explore a precise group of writers and works, often put by Jung in connection with Nietzsche and Zarathustra: J. W. Goethe and Faust; F. Hölderlin and Song of Destiny (Hyperion), F. T. Vischer and Auch Einer; C. Spitteler and both Olympian Spring and Prometheus and Epimetheus. I will explore their frequent use of mythology, their common interest in Theology, the connection of such authors with Basel (often through the names of J. Burckhardt and J. J Bachofen), all of them referring to a symbolic understanding of mythology starting with F. Creuzer. I will finally show how Jung and Liber Novus fit in the category of ‘visionary’ works too.
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- 1.
As James L. Jarrett points out in a footnote, Jung is likely to refer to Spitteler’s reaction to his Psychological Types. The writer had indeed responded to Jung’s analysis by stating that his characters were merely fictional figures and did not symbolise anything more.
- 2.
In Tübingen, Hölderlin studied with Hegel e Schelling, with whom he remained in contact throughout his life.
- 3.
Vischer took position in the debate twice: Dr. Strauß und die Wirtemberger (1838) and Über allerhand Verlegenheiten bei Besetzung einer dogmatischen Leherstelle un der gegenwärtigen Zeit (1839) (Hallischen Jahrbüchern für deutsche Wissenschaft und Kunst).
- 4.
After the death of his mother-in-law (1893), Spitteler no longer needed to work and decided to invest his full time in literature. Already as a young student, Spitteler had composed a short poem, Der Ketzer, centred on the same necessity of redefining the relationship between human and the divine.
- 5.
A few scholars have dealt with Goethe and religion. Goethe’s relationship with Gnosticism has been fully explored by Stefan Hajduk, who has also proposed an interpretation of Faust based on Gnostic ideals and images (Hajduk 2010). Faust has also been analysed within the context of the religious debate contemporary to Goethe (Smith 2011) and Goethe’s overall engagement with religion has been explored in depth in a collection of essays edited by Hans-Joachim Simm (2000). Moreover, Goethe’s understanding of Christianity in a wider aesthetic perspective has been also analysed (Thielicke 1982), as well as his ambivalent relation to Catholicism (Kock 1999).
- 6.
It might be of interest to recall that C. G. Jung’s grandfather was in charge of reforming the faculty of Medicine.
- 7.
- 8.
In his answer, Schiller cannot help but to reveal a certain enthusiasm while describing Hölderlin, so that he even compares him to Schlegel by calling him a ‘poetical genius’ (Schiller to Goethe, 7 September 1797; ibid.: 418). Hölderlin, on the other hand, was being quite docile towards Schiller and his teachings (see Hölderlin’s letter to Schiller on August 1797; Hölderlin 1922: 167–170).
- 9.
In a letter dating 14 January 1866, Schiller is also mentioned.
- 10.
- 11.
Interestingly, in the same lines, Spitteler also mentions his keeping quiet regarding his attitude towards ‘Keller, Mayer, Jacob Burckhardt and Böcklin’.
- 12.
As Bishop also points out, Jung met Ludwig Binswanger, the nephew of Otto Binswanger, professor of Psychiatry in Jena and director of asylum at the time of Nietzsche’s admission.
- 13.
It is not to be forgotten that a Gnostic codex found in Nag Hammadi (Egypt) was named after Jung (‘Jung Codex’). G. Fowden (1986) has shown an actual link between Hermeticism and Egyptian tradition.
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Domenici, G. (2019). ‘Visionary’ Works and Liber Novus. In: Jung's Nietzsche . Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-17670-9_2
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